Dodgers Offense on Holliday as Cardinals Win 3-2

The Dodgers started off the second half of the season with a disappointing one run loss to the Cardinals on Friday night at Busch Stadium. Dan Haren‘s one big mistake was to Matt Holliday in the fifth inning. Holliday’s two-run homerun gave the Red Birds a 3-0 lead, and the Dodgers’ offense was only able to muster two runs off 5 hits against Lance Lynn and the strong Cardinal bullpen.

The Dodgers scored twice in the seventh off back-to-back doubles by Juan Uribe and A.J. Ellis and a wild pitch which scored A.J. The Dodger bats were back to sleep thereafter, and the Cardinals shut them down for the next two innings.

Haren lost his third game in a row, and he continues to struggle and is unable to go deep into games. Haren wasn’t exactly awful, and he only allowed three runs. The Dodgers’ offense has really been the problem recently. They have only managed 4 runs over their last 8 games. The Dodgers were 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position in the Friday loss, and the Dodgers once again failed to come up with that clutch hit.

Dodgers 2 5 0

Cardinals 3 8 0

WP- Lynn (11-6)

LP- Haren (8-7)

S- Rosenthal (29)

HR- Holliday (7)

Hanley Ramirez doubles to the right field gap with two outs in the top of the first against Lance Lynn, but Adrian Gonzalez whiffs to end the inning.

The Cardinals take an early 1-0 lead in the home half of the first after Kolten Wong doubles to left field with one out and Matt Holliday doubles Wong home.

The Dodgers only muster a one-out four-pitch walk from Andre Ethier in the second, but they fail to score as Juan Uribe grounds out and A.J. Ellis flies out.

Haren pitches a scoreless second and only allows a single to Jon Jay.

Jul 18, 2014; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals left fielder Matt Holliday (7) is congratulated by manager

(22) after hitting a two run home run during the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

In the third, the Dodgers once again fail with the bases loaded in typical 2014 fashion. Dee Gordon draws a one-out walk, and Yasiel Puig singles to right advancing Gordon to third. Hanley strikes out. Gonzo draws a walk to load the bases, but Matt Kemp strikes out to end the inning.

Haren pitches a 1-2-3 in the third.

The Dodgers went down in order in the top of the fourth.

Haren escapes a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the fourth. Allen Craig singled with two outs, and Jon Jay hit a ground-rule double over the left field wall. Matt Kemp makes a valiant attempt, but he is unable to catch up with the bouncing double. A better outfielder probably makes that catch. Haren intentionally walks backup catcher Tony Cruz to load up the bases. Lynn grounds into a force out to end the inning and the threat.

The zeros continue to pile up for the Dodgers through five innings. Lynn strikes out Haren and Gordon. Puig draws a two-out walk, but Hanley flies out to Holliday to end the inning.

Haren was actually pitching decently up to this point, but in the bottom of the fifth the deficit becomes 3-0 with one Holliday swing. Wong singles, and Holliday wallops a two-run shot to straight away center field on the 88-mph Haren fastball right down the pipe. That’s the 20th homerun that Haren has allowed this season. Adams grounds out, but Jhonny Peralta proceeds to double to left field with two outs. Haren is huffing and puffing at this point while Chris Perez warms up in the Dodgers bullpen. Haren walks Craig, and he can’t even get out of the fifth inning. Don Mattingly will bring the hook. Perez gets the final out of the inning by inducing a groundout from Jon Jay, but the Red Birds put up two more on the board with the Holliday homer.

Gonzo strikes out for the second time versus Lynn to begin the sixth. Kemp flies out. Ethier strikes out for the second time as well, and the Dodgers once again go down in order. As much as Haren frustrated me, the Dodgers have only mustered a measly two runs off Lynn.

Dan Haren pitched 4 2/3 innings and allowed 3 runs on 8 hits with 4 strikeouts and 2 walks on 99 pitches.

Chris Perez pitches a very nice 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the sixth, but the Dodgers are still down by three.

The Dodgers finally get to Lynn only after he hits 100 pitches in the top of the seventh. Juan Uribe leads off with a double to left field, and A.J. Ellis also doubles to bring in a Dodger run! That’s going to be all for Lance Lynn, and Mike Matheny will bring in Seth Maness to face pinch-hitter Justin Turner. Turner grounds out to second, but that moves Ellis over to third. The Dodgers squeak out another run on a wild pitch by Maness, and A.J. comes home making it 3-2.

Lance Lynn pitched 6 innings and allowed 2 runs on 4 hits with 9 strikeouts and 4 walks on 107 pitches.

Jul 18, 2014; St. Louis, MO, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Dan Haren (14) throws to a St. Louis Cardinals batter during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

Paco Rodriguez, who was just recalled by the Dodgers today, pitches a perfect seventh inning. How I’ve missed Paco.

The Dodgers get a couple runners on against Pat Neshek in the eighth, but they fail to score. Gonzalez goes the other way and singles with one out. Matt Kemp has a good at-bat and draws a walk. Mattingly makes a good move by pinch-running for Gonzo with Miguel Rojas. Ethier strikes out and Uribe pops out in foul territory for another letdown.

Brandon League will come in to pitch the bottom of the eight for the Dodgers. League hits Jay with a pitch, but he ends up pitching a scoreless frame.

The Dodgers are down to their final three outs in the ninth. Trevor Rosenthal is in search of his 29th save. A.J. Ellis flies out to right. Carl Crawford strikes out swinging. Gordon lined out to third as the Dodgers fall to the Cards.

The Dodgers drop to 54-44, and they are now tied with the Giants in first after San Francisco toppled the Marlins on Friday. Saturday will feature Zack Greinke versus Joe Kelly in Game 2.